Oil well pump



sepf. 24, i946.

F. KOWALSKI, JR., ETAL oIL WELL PUMP I Filed May 4, 1944 Frank vwc-Lls/r/l J5: Raymond L-/myer Patented Sept. 24,k 1946 y Y 011. WELL PUMP Frank Kowalski, Jo.,y United states Army, camp Chaee, Ark., and Raymond L. Harper, United I States Army, Camp Bowie, Tex. v Y, Application May 4, 1,944-, serial No. 534,124 Y v v5 claims. (crm-123) p K "('Gr'ant'ed under the act of March 3, 1883, as-

s `UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE sucker rod of a standard reciprocating oil pump is connected to a. piston b-y'a connecting r'od and Y the piston reciprocated by periodically admitting natural gas Afrom the welltothe. cylinder surrounding the piston andwithdrawing the gas v amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) therefrom. The gas under high pressure is admitted to the cylinder where it advances the piston. As the piston approaches theend of its stroke the-supply of gas tothe cylinder is shut off and means. actuated to exhaust the gas in the cylinder through `the body of the pistona'n'd from the cylinder through an exhaust line. The return stroke of the piston is effected by gravity,A utiliz-1 ing the weight of the piston as wellfas that'of the elements secured thereto, to return the piston toits initial position. p,

p VIt is van object of this invention to` provide a new and 'improved motor-driven, oil well jpump which isoperated' by gas under -high pressure.

Anotherlobjectofthis invention is to. provide a`motor-driven, oil well pump which is operated by inatural gas supplied under high pressures -by anoilwell. Y

Still, another object this invention is toproev Vide a motor-driven,.oi1 well pump having a cylinder, a pistontherein which maybe operated'by admitting gas under high pressure to thev cylinder and means for exhausting the gas from the cylinderihrough the body of the latter to return to its initial, position. Y

vrA further object ofthifsfinvenuon'is to' provide"V a motor-driven, oil well pump which its simple, vinexpensive and easily transported and assembled inthefield. .V Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following' description of the invention and the accompanying drawing. in which:

Figure 14 VisA a side elevational view V.partly vin crosssection showing `thepump motor; f FigurezisA a fragmentary view iny cross-section ofthe lower portion ofthe cylinder @fthe pump piston t'o permitI the 2 motor showing thepiston at the end of its 'down ward stroke; and Y Figure 3 is a fragmentaryl view 'in' cross-section of the upper portion of the cylinder of,V the pump motor showing the piston at the end of its upward stroke. Referring to the drawing, the uppermost section of a casing l lining an oil well has a casing head 2 secured thereto. The: opposite sides of the casing head 2 are provided with the interiorly threaded ports 3 and 4 which are adapted to en gage the exteriorly threaded ends of the pipe lines 5 and 6, respectively. Thetop of the casing head 2 is provided with an opening around the lower edge of which is formed an interiorly threaded flange 'I and around the upper Vedge thereof a pipe 3. The side Vof the pipe 8 has a threaded opening'formed therein which is adapted to engage the threaded end of an 'outlet pipe 9. The upper end yof the pipe `8 is exteriorly threaded to engage an interiorly threaded cap IIJ having lan exteriorly threaded hollow extension I I'formed Y thereon. The spacewithin the hollow extension II Yis Vadapted to'preceive the paoking material I 2 and function asa seal.` An `interiorly threaded cap vI3 provided with av lug I4;l on the llower face thereof is adapted to engage lthe threaded extension `Il on the cap IB and compressthe packing material I2. 'Ihethreaded ange 'I engages the threaded end ofthe uppermost section ofan oil conduit I5 positioned within the casing I. The

conduit I5 extends downwardly in the casing I- to the-oil level in the well and has a standard reciprocating yoil pump, which is not illustrated,

attached thereto. The reciprocating elementsof the oil pump are connected to a sucker rod I6 which extends upwardly in the oil conduit I5 into the pipe 8 formed on the casing head 2. Oil may thus be conducted.v from the well by thev conduit I5 into the pipe 8 and thence through the outlet pipe 9 to asuitable collecting means. Y The naturalngas rin the well passes through the casing I, into the casing head 2 and thence throughgthe ports 3 and# to the pipe lines 5 and 6.

The casing headassembly described hasa plat;V

threaded cap 2t having an opening in the top thereof Yengages the threadedlug Iand is adapted .to receiveV and .compress r'the packing material 2|. Alarge pipev 22, the endsof which are flanged, is secured to the plate I1 with its center line aligned with vertical passage in the plate I1. The pipe 22 is secured to the plate I1 bythe bolts 23 which pass through openings provided inthe flange formed in the end of the pipe 22. A gasket 24 is positioned between the plate I'I and the pipe 22 to form a gas tight joint and enable the pipe 22 to function as a gas reser- Voir. The plate I'I has a threaded opening formed therein which engages the threaded end of the pipe line 5. The threaded opening is located in the plate I1 so that the pipe line 5 communicates with the chamber formed by the pipe 22. A cylinder 25 comprising a wall 26, an upper head 21 and a lower head 28 is mounted on the upper end of the pipe 22 and is secured thereto by the bolts 23 which pass through openings provided in the flange formed in the upper end of the pipe' 22. valve port 39 formed therein and the upper head 21 thereof is provided with a threaded opening which is adapted to engage the threaded end of an exhaust pipe 3I. The cylinder 25 contains a piston 32 having sealing rings 33. The piston 32 is provided with a plurality of valve ports 34 which communicate with the exhaust side of the piston` 32 through the passages 35. The valve ports 34 are adapted to receive the valves 3B which are mounted on the vertical valve rods 31. The valve rods 31 pass through openings providedk in the piston 32 and are normally forced upwardly by the coiled springs 38 which are secured on the valve rods 31 by the pins 39. The coiled springs 38 are compressed sufficiently to force the valve rods 31 upwardly and seat the valves 33 in the Valve ports 34 to close the latter. A ldepending lug 40 is formed at the center of the piston 32 on the intake side thereof. The depending lug 43 is provided with a threaded opening which is adapted to engage the threaded end of a connecting rod 4I. The connecting rod 4I extends downwardly therefrom, through the valve port 33 in the lower head 25, the chamber formed bythe pipe 22, the openings in the cap 23, the plate I1 and the lug I8 formed thereon, thence through the caps I8 and I3 into the pipe 8. In the pipe 8 the connecting rod 4i is secured to the sucker rod I6 with asleeve coupling 42. A valve 43 having a lug 44 formed on the upper face thereof is provided with a verticalopening through which .the connecting rod 4I passes. The valve 43 is adapted to slide on the connecting rod 4l and close the valve port 38. A coiled spring 45 is mounted -on the connecting rod 4I below the valve 43 and is adapted to seat the valve 43 in the valve port 38 when the piston 32 is at its uppermost position in the cylinder 25 as shown in Fig. l. The lower end of the coiled spring 45 is xed with respect to the connecting rod 4I by a flanged plate 46 supported by a pin 41 which passes through an opening provided in the connecting rod 4 I The exhaust pipe 3| which is connected to the upper head 21 of the cylinder 25 is adapted to conduct gas from the exhaust end of the cylinder 25 to the atmosphere or a gas collector. The exhaust pipe 3l and the pipe line 5 are connected by a pipe 48 which contains a pressure-responsive safetyv valve 48', Fig. 1, that functions to relieve any excessively high gas pressures communicated to the pipe line 5. A pipe 43 connected to the line may be employed to conduct gas to other nearby' pumping units. The pipe lines 5 and 5 are provided with ow control valves 53 and 5I, respectively. The pipe line 5 is thus adapted to The lower head 28 of the cylinder 25 has a 4 conduct gas from the well to the chamber formed by the pipe 22. The pipe line 6 is adapted to bleed gas from the casing head 2 if conditions necessitate.

n operation, the platform with the pipe 22 and the cylinder 25 mounted thereon is-placed over the casing head assembly and the connecting rod v4I attached to the sucker rod I5, The caps I0 and I3 are tightened to compress the packing material I2 and prevent the escape of oil from the pipe. The weight of the piston 32, the rods I6 and 4I and the reciprocating elements of the oil pump exert a downward pull on the piston 32 causing it to move to the position shown in Fig.'2. As the connecting rod 4I moves downwardly the coiled spring secured to the connecting rod 4l by a anged plate 46 and the valve 43 resting freely 'on the top of the coiled spring 45 move to the position shown in Fig. 2. The valve in the pipe line 5 is then opened to permit natural gas under high pressure' from the well to pass from the casing head 2, through the pipe line 5` into the chamber formed by the pipe 22. The gas passes through the valve portv 30 into the cylinder 25, The pressure builds up rapidly and the gas forces the piston 32 to move upwardly, which in turn draws the connecting rod '4I upwardly. As the connectingrod 4I moves upwardly, the coiled spring 45 moves the valve 43 toward the rvalve port 30. Near the ends of the upward or power stroke of the piston 32, the valve 43 closes the valve port 30, preventing further flow of the gas into the cylinder 25, The expansion of the vgas in the cylinder 25 and the momentum of the piston32 "causes the latter to continue to move upwardly. As the piston 32 approaches the end Yoi its power stroke, the valve rods 31 strike the cylinder head 2T. The movement of the valve rods 31 and the valve 36 is stopped and as the piston 32 continues to move the Valve'ports 34 are opened as shown in Fig. 3. The coiled springs 33 on the valve rods 31 are compressed by the piston'32 and cushion the latter as it completes its upward stroke. The expanding gas in the cylinder 25 passes'through the valve ports 34 and the passages 35 to the exhaust side of the piston-32. The exhaust gas flows rapidly from the cylinder25 through the exhaust pipe 3| to theA atmosphere or a gas co1- lect'or. The exhaust gasescapes rapidly owing to the high pressure attained in the cylinder 25 during the upward stroke of the piston 32, and as the gas pressure on the lower face of the piston 32 drops, the latter begins its downward stroke. The downward stroke of the piston 32 is accelerated by the weight of the elements'attached thereto aswell'as' its' own weight. The valve 43 remains seated in the valve port 30 during most of the downward stroke of the piston 32 due to the pressure of the gas in the chamber 22. TheV residual gas inv the cylinder 25 below the piston 32 is thus compressed as the latter moves downwardly. The compressed gas tends toY cushion the piston 32 and vretards its movement near the end of its. downward stroke.v As the piston 32 reaches the bottomV of the cylinder 25, the lug 40 strikes the lug 44 on the valve 43, unseating the latter, opening. the valve port 38, and is forced by the impact of the lug 4.0 on the lug 44 to the position shown insolid lines in Fig. 2. The gas in the pipe 22 is then free to ow into the cylinder 25 and again force the piston 32 upwardly. The reciprocating movement of the piston 32 and the rods- I3k and 4I attached thereto actuates the oil pump in thel well, causing the cii to rise'in the conduit is to the pipe s and ow through the outlet pipe 9. f

The operation of the pump motor contemplated by this invention depends. upon a highY pressure source of gas. Ordinarily, the natural gas supplied by .the oil well from which the oil is withdrawn is used to actuate the pump motor. In some oil fields, however, the pressure of the gas from the wells is too low to operate the motors disclosed herein efficiently. In the `absence of a natural source of high pressure gas, an air'compressor may be employed to force air under high pressure into the chamber formed by the pipe 22. The operation of the pump motor contemplated by this invention depends upon the cycle of operation of the valves 31 and the valve 43 and functional cooperation thereof at the proper instant to obtain the maximum benefit of the intake and exhaust of the expanding gas. The operating cycle of. these elements obviously may y be varied by the design of the valve actuating elements. It is apparent that many different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore it is not intended to be limited except as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A gas operated motor comprising -a cylinder ihaving intake and exhaust ports, a piston in said cylinder adapted for movement therein between said intake and exhaustports, said piston hav' ing a plurality of ports for conducting gas from the intake side to the exhaust side thereof, a plurality of valves normally adapted to close the ports in said piston, a plurality of valve actuating means mounted on said piston and connected to said valves, means for introducing gas` into said cylinder through said intake port to actuate said piston, means to close said intake port when said piston approaches the end of its power stroke, said valve actuating means being oper-able responsive to the movement of said piston after said intake port in closed to open said valves and permit the'ow of gas through the ports in said piston from the intake side to the exhaust side thereof, said valve actuating means including a plurality of rods adapted to pass through corresponding openingsl provided in said piston, and spring means mounted on the ends of said rods adjacent the exhaust side of said piston, said valves being connected to the other ends of said rods and said spring means being adapted to force said rods toward the exhaust end of said cylinder and seat said valves in the ports provided in said piston. Y

l 2. A gas operated motor comprising a cylinder having intake and exhaust ports, apiston adapted for movement in said cylinder between said intake and exhaust ports, a connecting rod secured .to said piston and extending from said cylinder, a valve slid-ably mounted on said connecting rod adapted to close said intake port, means for introducing gas into said cylinder through said intake port to actuate said piston, means operabiy responsive to the movement of said connecting rod to close said intake port with said valve as said piston approaches the end of its power stroke and means associated with said piston and operably responsive to the movement thereof `to permit ther flow of gas through said piston from the intake side to the exhaust side thereof.

3. An apparatusin accordance with claim 2 characterized in that said intake valve closing means operably responsive to the movement of said'connecting rod comprises a spring means having one end fixed with respect to said connecting rod and the other end thereof adapted to support said intake valve.

4. An' apparatus in accordance with claim 2 characterized in that said intake valve has an upwardly extending lug formed thereon andthat said piston has a depending lug formed on the intake side thereof adapted to engage the lug on said intake valve and unseat said intake valve as said piston approaches the end of its downward stroke.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 characterized in that said means for introducing gas into said cylinder comprises a gas chamber, said chamber being adap-ted to supply gas to said cylinder through said intake port and provide gas under pressure for retaining said intake valvey in its closed position during the downward stroke of said piston.

FRANK KOWALSKI, JR. RAYMOND L. HARPER. 

